Hadith #53

Arabic Text

English Translation

Yahya ibn Sa'id narrated from al-Akhdar ibn 'Ajlan, from Abu Bakr al-Hanafi, from Anas ibn Malik (رضي الله عنه) that a man from the Ansar came to the Prophet ﷺ complaining of need. the Prophet ﷺ said to him: 'Do you not have anything in your house?' He said: 'Yes, a cloth — we wear part of it and spread part of it — and a bowl from which we drink water.' He said: 'Bring them to me.' He brought them, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ took them and said: 'Who will buy these?' A man said: 'I will take them for one dirham.' He said: 'Who will give more than one dirham?' — two or three times. A man said: 'I will take them for two dirhams.' He gave them to him and took the two dirhams. He gave them to the Ansari man and said: 'Buy food with one dirham and give it to your family, and buy an axe with the other and bring it to me.' He brought it, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ fixed a handle to it with his own hand, then said: 'Go, gather wood, and sell it. I do not want to see you for fifteen days.' The man went and gathered wood and sold it. He came back having earned ten dirhams. the Prophet ﷺ said: 'This is better for you than having begging come as a mark on your face on the Day of Resurrection.'